More information Accept. Brigid came back to the Earth and, according to some traditions, visited the people of Ireland to give them blessings. Many Native American tribes took part in solstice rituals, some of which are still practiced today. Litha (Midsummer, Gathering Day, Summer Solstice, Alban Heffyn, Feill-Sheathain) Incense: Sage, mint, basil, Saint John's Wort, sunflower, Lavender Decorations: Dried herbs, potpourri, seashells, summer flowers, and fruits. Midsummer folk dancers in traditional costumes. Emma Lindhagen from Stockholm, Sweden on May 21, 2014: Nice entry, as usual. Summer solstice incense for Litha is easy to make at home. For the solstice itself I usually just do something low-key by myself: meditate a bit, wear the right colors, eat something appropriate. Different cultures and religious traditions have different names for the summer solstice. Although she was primarily a fertility goddess, Brigids stories also included loss. The summer season is usually incorporated in literature to symbolize joy, adventure, fullness, selfacceptance, and the search for love. She was the goddess of spring, the dawn, and fertility. Close enough, MsLizzy. The Greeks strict social code was temporarily turned on its head during Kronia, with slaves participating in the merriment as equals or even being served by their masters. Colours: blue, green, and yellow The Fire Festival of Litha. She was thought to inspire songs, poetry, craftsmanship, and wisdom. I love summer foods too, .all the fruits and veggies and all the bbqing we do because my husband loves to come home and throw something on the grill and hang out by the pool. From a protective goddess to a patron saint, Brigid is one of the most enduring and influential figures in Celtic mythology! That's my favorite way to celebrate. Reindeeralso ignore the absence of a light-dark cycle during the summer months. Midsummer festivities are especially popular in Northern Europe where bonfires are lit, girls wear flowers in their hair and homes are decorated with garlands and other greenery. Brigid has the same root as the English word bright, and originally meant Rising or High.. The Summer Solstice: Cancer, Leo, Virgo. "When the male is active, the female is at the nest and vice versa," Williams said. The word "solstice" derives from the Latin words "sol" (sun) and "sistere" (to stand still). They don't really go together," says Levine. She is said to watch over babies, mothers, and cattle. The Cath Maig Tuired recounts the legends of how the Tuatha De Dannan, the group of beings Brigid belonged to, came to rule over Ireland. Beltane was equally important for those who kept cattle, since early May was generally when herds would be put out to pasture for the summer. A season of optimism, hope, and adventure, summer is full of symbolism and is represented by several symbols. Add six drops of rose oil to the mix. At home in the darkness. The long summer days are full of life. History and legends were passed on through performance. Examples of literary pieces that have incorporated summer include Ann Brasharess The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants; Linda Hulls Insects of Florida, and Denyques song Summer Love, just to mention but a few. If you have statues of your deities, place them prominently upon the altar. NY 10036. So, in the Northern Hemisphere you have: Vernal equinox (about March 21): day and night of equal length, marking the start of spring. The summer solstice is also a time of renewal. Thanks for stopping by! With a keen interest in understanding why life was and is as it is, Rose has been studying religion, culture, and history for over fifteen years. The summer solstice occurs on the longest day of the year, usually the 21st or 22nd June in the northern hemisphere and the 21st or 22nd December in the southern. It's all in the spirit of the summer. Many of the Ulster Cycle myths feature kings and queens raiding one anothers herds and arguing over ownership of prized animals. Solar symbols are infinite! "The calendar was very importantmuch more important than it is. South represents Summer and is a time of great abundance. Able to shift direction quickly. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, and the shortest night. As the goddess of so many domains, she was one of the most well-loved and widely-worshipped goddesses in the Celtic world. She held sway over so many aspects of Irish life that the early monks found it impossible to completely erase her from folk belief. Seemingly in contrast to this, she was also referred to as a goddess connected to wells and rivers. Wells were also visited at Beltane, or May Day, which celebrated the summer solstice. It marks the point when the sun is at its highest peak in the sky, and for those in the Northern . (The word equinoxcomes from the Latin aequus, meaning read more, The 2019 fall equinoxalso called the autumn equinoxtakes place on Monday, September 23, 2019. Doris James MizBejabbers from Beautiful South on May 21, 2014: I love summer and I always hate it when it starts waning. Further evidence for this is in the fact that Brigid is not always depicted as the same age, taken on the appearance of either a young maiden or a wise mother. "They lose that long stretch of sleep they would normally have," Williams said. Each year, thousands gather at Stonehenge to commemorate the longest day of the year. Which pantheon do you connect to primarily? Litha - Summer Solstice. Keep reading to find out why Brigid was so well-loved in Ireland that she remains important around the world! Usually aroundJune21st for those who live in the Northern Hemisphere, this is a time when the sun lingers the longest of any other day. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) It's also one of Europe's most celebrated and spiritual evenings, which has long been associated with both the Christian St. John the Baptist, as well . Cows When a cow endeavors to scratch its ear, it means a shower is very near. Get more about solar animal meanings here. Midsummer is truly the noontime of the year; its the zenith of the summer season. Second, the native Americans associated the eagle with the thunderbird, believing it to be the bringer of summer rains. While the other gods of pre-Christian Ireland faded from memory or were reimagined as less powerful spirits, Brigids cult was not so easily erased. "If you are going to get high through intention and ceremony, stick to that high. Bring out your bold colors to decorate your home to remind you of the splendor of the summer season going on outside your door. Brigid was so important to the keeping of livestock that she was said to have many animals of her own. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. The summer solstice, which marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, happens Sunday (June 20) at 11:32 p.m. EDT (Monday, June 21 at 03:32 UTC). 2. You can set your browser not to accept cookies and the above websites tell you how to remove cookies from your browser. This often linked to her role as the goddess of smiths and metalworking. Its also a good time to start making one or to consecrate one. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Animalsincluding llamaswere sacrificed during the ceremony, and the Incas used a mirror to focus the sun's rays and kindle a fire. The was one of many links to music, poetry, and emotion that made her a patroness of the arts. (The read more, Freedom Summer, or the Mississippi Summer Project, was a 1964 voter registration drive aimed at increasing the number of registered Black voters in Mississippi. On June 21, there are 24 hours of daylight north of the Arctic Circle (66.5 north of the equator) and 24 hours of . This day marks the start of astronomical summer and the tipping point at which days start to become shorter and nights longer. Being the warmest season of the year, summer comes between spring and autumn and is experienced between late June and late September in the Northern hemisphere, and between late December and late March in the Southern hemisphere. Brigid wore a robe of sunlight and had flame red hair, furthering her connection to the sun and its light. Sadly the summer solstice is forever associated with the loss of my dear friend Karen last year to . That's kind of what the season is all abouttaking time to smell the flowers and enjoy nature in all its glory. Baldr is the renewal of life and all the beauty associated with it. In the days leading up to the summer solstice, the ancient Romans celebrated Vestalia, a religious festival in honor of Vesta, goddess of the hearth. In Ancient Egypt, the summer solstice corresponded with the rise of the Nile River. Seemore about the lion here. Slaves from many African cultures combined their own beliefs with those of the French Catholics who ruled the island. It is associated with plunging temperatures and icy weather, but its impact and timing change according to . She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication and uses this, together with her knack for literature, to share her knowledge and insight with the world. Her favorite stories include those about animals and obscurities. Like the placement of the shrine, many legends of St. Brigids deeds tied to her the pagan goddess. It was such a splendid effect, though, and made a great decoration. According to pagan folklore, evil spirits would appear on the summer solstice. Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on May 19, 2014: You are have successfully put me in the mood to celebrate summer. Magic was thought to be strongest during the summer solstice. Mid-June is the peak mating season for brown bears, and so this time of year is symbolic of fertility and the promise a new birth brings to continue the bloodline. In this aspect, she was also sometimes considered to be a goddess of motherhood and birth. Meaning and Healing Properties. We light it at sunset on the eve of the Solstice and let it burn for 24 hours (as long as were home! Herdsmen would pray to Brigid to keep watch over their animals. Associated with agriculture, the summer solstice was a reminder that a turning point in the growing season had been reached. As a Catholic saint, she inspired veneration well beyond the shores of Ireland. Instead, they embraced the spring goddess. Brigid, however, was an exception to this. This indicates that Brigid may have been worshipped then, as well. The West is black and it represents the death of summer's cycle. On this day, which provides a full 24 hours of daylight above the Arctic Circle, people in northern latitudes are celebrating with special events, like a live broadcast the moment the solstice begins at England's Stonehenge. Find out which of the Gods and Goddesses had festivals or special days of worship near the Summer Solstice. Download includes the following worksheets: Summer is one of the four seasons. So, going off a list of kigo, I will give you some animals which are associated with each season. Among the many pre-Christian gods and goddess of Ireland, one was invoked more often and more fervently than any other. https://www.history.com/topics/natural-disasters-and-environment/history-of-summer-solstice. This was one of the earliest instruments of the Tuatha De Dannan and, although it was originally a practical tool, it evolved into a source of entertainment. While some cultures dedicated this time of year to the Divine, others saw it as a chance to welcome the balance between the light of the sun and the darkness which would eventually arrive. 7. Although it predates them, Stonehenge in England is today associated with the religion of _____, whose followers build their summer solstice celebrations around it. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. The solstice is known for its golden evenings, dusk flecked with fireflies, and the full bloom of the natural world. Folklore tells us that this is also one of the most magical nights of the year, and its a night when the veil between the world of humans and the world of the wee folk is thin. Mentally incorporate the element of fire in your meditations and ruminations this summer season to intensify your experience with these attributes. The goddess of music was also called the most well-loved by the poets. Celtic? Brigid was thought to keep them safe then and encourage the safe delivery of calves. In the Northern Hemisphere it takes place between June 20 and 22, depending on the year. To help with your sensational solar celebrations, Ive provided a handful of summer solsticesymbols. more about symbolic sunflower meanings here. ;-). Your celebrations sound lovely, and the food makes my mouth water. Just look around you during the summer months and you willsee a bevy of symbolic cuesthat represent the vitality and bounty summer implies. 3 Qiqirn. Historians believe, however, that one tradition of Imbolc involved taking offerings of food or valuables to wells to earn Brigids blessings. The word solstice comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and stitium (still or stopped). (During the winter solstice, the sun does the opposite, and begins moving northward as winter slowly turns to spring.). Yule: Winter Solstice (Dec 20-23) Yule is held during the winter solstice when our days become shorter. We find our grandest spiritual growth by pointing ourselves into the light, with our back against the darkness. In other countries, the Catholic saint replaced the Germanic goddess the Romans had named Brigantia. Patience. These creatures were said to be carriers of fire.